prof. william kunin university of leeds...field campaign results also raising interesting &...

P R O F . W I L L I A M K U N I N

U N I V E R S I T Y O F L E E D S

Concluding remarks

AgriLand

A great deal accomplished.

A great deal left to do…

Source: http://rudebeast.com/funny-images/a-long-way-to-go/

Next steps…

Extend & refine analyses

Explore application and impact

Unanswered questions for the future work…

Extend and refine analyses

Additional variables to explore, e.g. effects of temporal variation, pollen resources.

Additional taxa to consider, e.g. hoverfly responses

Refined statistical approaches, to allow inter-relationships between variables to be accounted for

Current analyses

“Dependent” variables: Bee abundance

Bee diversity Bee spp composition

Bumblebee abundance, etc Solitary bee abundance, etc

Phytometer pollination

Agrichemical use & intensity: Pesticide use (summed toxicity)

Fertiliser use Herbicide use

Grazing pressure “Management Intensity” index

Honeybee foraging density: Inferred from apiary sites

Random factors: weather on trap days

Survey team year

Habitat diversity & composition: Diversity of landcover

Arable, grassland and semi-natural fractions Ordination of landcover: succession, poductivity

“Quality” of landcover from expert surveys (All measured at 3 spatial scales)

Floral resources: Floral spp richness

Total nectar production Diversity of production

(All measured at 3 spatial scales)

Additional variables to test




Hoverfly abundance Hoverfly diversity

Hoverfly spp comp Phytometer pollination






Survey team year





Crop vs. wild flowers Total nectar production Diversity of production

Temporal variance in production Total pollen volume

Pollen amino acid content (All measured at 3 spatial scales)

Planned analyses




Hoverfly abundance Hoverfly diversity

Hoverfly spp comp Phytometer pollination






Survey team year

Ge

ogr

aph

y:

Lati

tud

e

Lon

gitu

de

(o

r co

mb

ined

SE-

NW

axi

s)

Ele

vati

on





Crop vs. wild flowers Total nectar production Diversity of production

Temporal variance in production Total pollen volume

Pollen amino acid content (All measured at 3 spatial scales)

Explore impact and application

National Pollinator Strategy (NPS) 1. Evidence gathering on pollinator status and impacts of pressures

2. Priority policy actions

3. Commitment to review & refresh Strategy as evidence arises



a. Develop & test a pollinator monitoring framework

b. Improve data standards for volunteer recording schemes

c. Expand pool of taxonomic expertise & capacity for pollinator ID

d. Improve volunteer recruitment for monitoring

e. Long-term specimen storage

f. Research relationship between pollinators & crop pollination

g. Research ecology of pollinator/wild plant interactions

h. Assess indirect benefits and value of pollinators to the public

i. Determine effects of neonicotinoid pesticides on pollinators & impacts on farmers’ crop & mgmt choices

j. Review risks posed by commercial Bumblebee production for other pollinators

Need for pollinator (and pollination) monitoring to know if pollinators are declining, and to measure whether policy works

AgriLand shows it’s possible to sample at a national scale with finite resources

Pollinator monitoring

Need for pollinator (and pollination) monitoring to know if pollinators are declining, and to measure whether policy works

AgriLand shows it’s possible to sample at a national scale with finite resources

Recent Defra contract to design an NPPMS

Pollinator monitoring

Task 1: Scoping and review of exist methods and datasets

Ta

sk 5

.1 C

ap

aci

ty b

uil

din

g,

wit

h v

olu

nte

er r

eco

rdin

g c

om

mu

nit

y a

nd

oth

er s

tak

eho

lder

s

(n

ote

mu

ch o

f th

is w

ork

no

w p

rop

ose

d a

s a

dd

itio

na

l co

sted

op

tio

ns)

Ta

sk 5

.2 D

isse

min

ati

on

Task 1.3 Understanding status and trends from existing datasets

1.1a Pollinators 1.1b Pollination Services 1.2 Links

Task 1.4 Power analysis of existing datasets

Task 1.5 Cost-benefit analysis of existing datasets

Task 2: Methods development

2.1a Pollinators 2.1b Pollination Services

Task 3: Sampling design


Task 4: Pilot the proposed NPPMS

Tasks 4.1 Field test at sub-set of sites

Task 4.2 Identify indicators of trends

Task 4.3 Cost-benefit analysis

NPPMS overview of tasks and objectives

December 2015

May 2014

Task 1: Scoping and review of exist methods and datasets

Ta

sk 5

.1 C

ap

aci

ty b

uil

din

g,

wit

h v

olu

nte

er r

eco

rdin

g c

om

mu

nit

y a

nd

oth

er

sta

keh

old

ers

(

no

te m

uch

of

this

wo

rk n

ow

pro

po

sed

as

ad

dit

ion

al

cost

ed o

pti

on

s)

Ta

sk 5

.2 D

isse

min

ati

on

Task 1.3 Understanding status and trends from existing datasets

1.1a Pollinators 1.1b Pollination Services 1.2 Links

Task 1.4 Power analysis of existing datasets

Task 1.5 Cost-benefit analysis of existing datasets

Task 2: Methods development


Task 3: Sampling design


Task 4: Pilot the proposed NPPMS

Tasks 4.1 Field test at sub-set of sites

Task 4.2 Identify indicators of trends

Task 4.3 Cost-benefit analysis

NPPMS overview of tasks and objectives

December 2015

May 2014



2. Priority policy actions

a. Develop & publish a “Call to Action”

b. Inclusion of pollinator issues in CAP reform

c. Develop farm-based pollinator events

d. Improving and sharing IPM practices

e. Policy & practice for urban pollinators

f. Improve & implement honeybee pest control methods

g. Improve & encourage floral resource plantings

h. Improve knowledge sharing between scientists, NGOs & practitioners

Inclusion of pollinator issues in CAP reform

Ongoing discussions with Defra, Natural England

With CAP reform, existing Stewardship programs are being re-drafted…

Pollinator conservation likely to be a key component of a farmland wildlife package

AgriLand results are already helping shape that package…

More impact likely as analyses are finalised

Our original variables Our (tentative) findings

Floral resources (+?)

Habitat diversity (+?)

Pesticides (–?)

Honeybees (–?)

(weakly +)

Resource DIVERSITY (+)

+ (but only at fine & medium scales)

(weakly –)

Fertilisers (–)

(+! Apiaries set in good sites?)

Inclusion of pollinator issues in CAP reform

Improve & encourage floral resource plantings

Floral plantings: popular components of Agri-enviroment schemes, urban landscaping and volunteer activities

Until now largely ad-hoc: easy-to-grow flowers that look attractive… with little evidence of their value to pollinators

AgriLand: Importance of floral diversity: traits, timing…

Our floral resource database will help optimise plantings: high resource spp, across the season

Plans to keep database growing: publish the protocols, allow addition of more wild & garden spp

Questions for future research

Some surprising patterns in historical re-surveys – e.g. exploring the importance of edge habitats for pollinators

Field campaign results also raising interesting & little-studied questions: role of floral diversity, fertiliser, grazing pressure, trees as floral resources.

Questions from your break-out sessions…

In summary

Pollinator research and conservation requires a Landscape-scale approach

The research is still on-going, but already some strong patterns are emerging

Growing evidence that both historical shifts in land use, and current land management have had big effects on pollinator populations and communities

Potential applications to pollinator monitoring, floral plantings and Agri-environmental programs.

In summary

We set out to do something ambitious, that nobody had ever attempted before: to survey pollinators, floral resources and land management at a landscape scale across all of Britain.

We’ve largely succeeded – thanks to the efforts and ideas of researchers, field assistants, land-owners and public bodies across the country.

The job isn’t done yet, but it’s been an exciting and rewarding journey!

http://www.natureconservationimaging.com/images/Anthophora-plumipes-flight.jpg

THANK YOU, and have a good trip home

prof. william kunin university of leeds...field campaign results also raising interesting &...

Documents